Lower Body Blast is an amazing lower body strength workout by Cathe. Not sure exactly how to classify it. Obviously strength, but maybe strength + cardio? The warm up is actually a cardio step routine and then throughout the floor work (which makes up the majority of the workout) there are “blasts”–plyometric cardio drills. In addition, the workout is fast paced, so it keeps the heart pumping throughout. It’s primarily strength but you get some nice cardio, too.
The main workout is 59 minutes long; 8 minute warm up, 46 minutes of strength training and 5 minute stretch. In addition, there is a 17 minute leg conditioning bonus–which is actually barre work (you can substitute with a chair). The bonus only shows up in the premixes. I, of course, did the 76 minute premix that had the main workout plus the bonus.
As a whole (bonus included), this is a thorough lower body workout. It hits every single muscle in your lower body in so many different ways–through moderately heavy weight exercises, high rep exercises, floor work, barre work and plyometric work. You will feel it all over.
I really, really liked this workout. However, in the future, due to the length, I will probably do the main workout most often. However, the bonus barre workout is unique, even for a Cathe bonus. Though there is no “warm up” at the beginning of the bonus, there is a little stretch at the end! Which means, you can easily tack the bonus 17 minute barre leg conditioning bonus onto the end any other workout without worrying about stretching yourself out afterward (and of course you will already be “warmed up” because you just finished another workout). And that is how I will probably use the bonus leg drills in the future.
For this workout you need: barbell, dumbbells, slide and glide disks, firewalker band and the square high step–but you will only be using the high step at 8 inches. If you do the barre workout you can just use a chair. Cathe is using her Push Pull tower, but that isn’t even available for purchase anymore, so if you don’t already own it or a barre of some sort, you’re stuck with a chair anyway, which works perfectly fine.
After a fun little cardio warm up on the step (with mostly basic choreography and a few moderately complex combos) you move into the lower body strength work. Cathe is not forthcoming on the weights she is using, which is a bit unusual, so I had to fend for myself and grab whatever weight seemed reasonable for the move. I don’t really like doing that the first time I do a Cathe workout, because you never know if Cathe is going to rep you out or not. Sometimes you can tell by the amount of weight she is using. I use her weight as a guideline for myself the first time I do one of her workouts.
She does a lot of reps and within each set she varies the tempo and does lots of low ends and pulsing. So for most moves, you probably will want to keep your weight moderate. For the barbell exercises (except the static lunges) you can probably go pretty heavy. She burns your glutes and legs out in the static lunges though–ouch!
***The weights listed below are the weights I used the last time I did this workout in 2015.
Standing Leg Work (35:30 minutes):
Walking lunges with dumbbells (12# DBs)
Leg presses off 8 inch step with dumbbell (15# DB)
Barbell squats (50# BB)
Front lunge pick ups with dumbbell (12# DBs)
Cardio burst: split jumps
Warrior side lunge on slide & glide disk
Deadlifts with barbell off 8 inch step (50# BB)
Barbell plie squats (35# BB)
Side lunges with the slide & glide disk
Cardio burst: ice breakers
Single leg deadlifts with dumbbells (20# DBs)
Elevated lunges (no weights LOTS of reps)
Hover squats with dumbbells (12# DBs)
Sit n slides with slide & glide disks
Cardio burst: box jumps on 8 inch step and plyo jacks
Wide stance deadlifts with barbell (50# BB)
Static lunges with barbell (40# BB)
Floor work (10 minutes):
Butterfly with firewalker around thighs (sitting on floor, leaning back, legs lifted and knees bent with soles/sides of feet touching–open and close thighs)
Get into tabletop position (hands and knees) with firewalker band still around thighs and do fire hydrant.
Remove firewalker but stay in table top position and do leg lifts straight behind you
Lower to your elbows and bend leg–continue lifting
Bonus Leg Conditioning drills (barre work; 17 minutes):
With barre/chair in front of you, bend forward with back straight; first you will do lifts with leg straight behind you, next with leg bent and last with leg to the side (fire hydrant). Finally, while in fire hydrant you will move your leg front and back (Cathe calls them “up and overs”)
Next, with barre/chair still in front of you and standing up straight now, you will get on your toes and do squats and pulses in various positions; first a basic squat, then an angled squat, then a narrow plie and finally in the cross-back lunge position.
Premixes: Timesaver (no floor work) 49 minutes, Standing + Barre work 66 minutes, Standing + floor work + Barre work 76 minutes, Standing + floor work with no cardio bursts 56 minutes, Standing + Barre work with no cardio blasts 63 minutes.
I’m new to Cathe and I feel as if I’m wiped out after the warm up. Did you feel that way when you began.
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No, I have always found Cathe’s warm ups very energizing. They really get me prepared to work hard. How do you find her workouts? Her workouts themselves frequently wipe me out! But I love her warm ups. I have been doing Cathe workouts for a very long time and prior to doing Cathe regularly I was doing programs like Insanity–Insanity warm ups definitely wiped me out.
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Hello! Thanks for replying. I’ve worked out with Cathe off and on since college so since 2004. For some reason I’m terrible at cardio and I’m frequently out of breath even during her strength training routines. For example during great glutes I’m dripping with sweats and can barely keep up.
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That is normal with circuit training, which is primarily what Cathe does. I personally think circuit training is the best thing out there since you are getting cardio with your strength training. And Great Glutes is definitely metabolic strength training– cardio and strength at its best. I love Great Glutes.
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I’m new to Cathe and I feel as if I’m wiped out after the warm up. Did you feel that way when you began.
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Hi, I just wondered if you own Cathe’s Fit Tower? I was debating about getting it but not sure how much I would really use it or need it. Love your site/reviews!
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No, I have not purchased the Fit Tower and (at least right now) I have no plans to buy it. It hasn’t interested me yet.
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It kills me, too, that it is just not possible to include some workouts more often in my rotation, despite how much I may love them. 🙂 But, when you pull out an oldie or forgotten one and get a killer workout, it’s SO worth having a library of exercise DVDs. 😀
(I think that it is ADORABLE that you “prepare” for Cathe Live workouts by going back and doing her same-named DVDs. 🙂 Smart, as well, but, also adorable. 🙂 ) I am still brand new to Cathe, and before I even started doing her DVDs just a few short weeks ago, I started entertaining the idea of subscribing to Cathe Live because of you! 🙂 I was on the fence about it, concerned it would be too advanced for me and that the production value and music would turn me off, but now that I have a handful of Cathe workouts under my belt and know I can keep up with her and her crew :), I think I’m going to have to bite the bullet and just go for it! (I’ve seen a ton of the clips, and, just from them, I already have a favorite class member LOL.) But I actually think I might quite like the 60 mins or less timeframe. I know Cathe has “timesaver” premixes on her DVDs, but I never want to cut anything out of her workouts; I don’t want to miss out on anything! Plus, I prefer to do them as she — as ANY trainer — created and intended. It’s silly, I realize.
I’m being held back by a thread, though, from subscribing. The only thing I worry about is that the class members will get too much “airtime” and the camera won’t be on Cathe enough. I’m not familiar enough with her workouts/moves to be able to just do an exercise as she calls it out. I’m going to need to see her properly demonstrate each move. Plus, I think I might really miss/need seeing her background crew with their bionic athleticism and perfect form. 🙂 Not only are they extremely motivational but also just as instructive and helpful as Cathe regarding form. I’m not sure I can work out with people who are not demonstrating that. Were you concerned about that, as well?
How do you view/stream her Live workouts?
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Well, I have to be honest. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Cathe Live, but sometimes (not all of the time) the… filming of the workouts is problematic. Everyone is at a different fitness level, that is understood. Not everyone in the class can do the exercises at the level Cathe does them. I understand that. But the form is sometimes all wrong and yes, when Cathe changes to another exercise while the camera is on someone else–if you aren’t familiar with the move, sometimes you have no clue what is going on. Sometimes class members will max out and stop an exercise while the camera is on them–but Cathe is still going and because she isn’t counting out loud, you think the exercise is over too and you stop! I hate that–that actually pi$$es me off. Not at the exercisers but at the camera man! Heck–I’ve done some workouts where I max out before the trainer. No shame in that–but showing it in that way doesn’t do any favors for the home exerciser that can complete every rep. And finally–tempo changes. Sometimes Cathe will change tempos in a high rep move but the camera will be on someone who doesn’t change tempos so you are late coming to the tempo party. And then there is just the… concern when I watch the poor form that does not get corrected–at least not during the workout–and I’m guessing not at all, since it is displayed frequently in the Live workouts. But overall–they really are excellent workouts and Cathe is leading the class and she always has perfect form. And btw–there are some class members who are always there and have good form. I know one on sight (she is always behind Cathe and to her right–but facing the tv, she is to the viewer’s left). She has great form and frequently keeps Cathe’s count straight. I am always grateful of her presence. She can do every rep of every move and usually at the most advanced level with good form.
I am like you. Tho I always appreciate premixes–I tend to like them for use as a doubles workout, or as an add on–or the longer extreme premixes. I hate using them as my main workout and losing exercises. I also want to do the workout as the trainer created it! So I don’t think it is silly at all. It is actually somewhat problematic for me. I love Jari Love workouts but they are frequently very long workouts–especially my favorites. She almost always has premixes that split them in half–usually 2 45 minute workouts instead of one 75 minute workout. But I HATE doing that for some reason! Even tho between the two workouts all exercises are there. I only want to do it when I can do the complete 75 minute workout! Cathe has some workouts like that–Body Max 1 & 2 and Drill max and Amy Bento has one. I love those particular workouts but there so long and I want to do the entire workout–not a premix!
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Yes, bad form is a pet peeve of mine in workout videos/DVDs (in background exercisers/crew). I am, of course, much more forgiving with non-professional exercisers. Just watching the clips, it was already an issue for me. Selfishly, it’s very distracting, and, I think, would take away from MY ability to get 100% out of the workout. More magnanimously, as you said, it’s CONCERNING. It hurts MY body just looking at them. 😮 It’s odd that, as often as they appear in Cathe’s Live classes, quite a few seem to not be very familiar with the moves or with Cathe’s workouts, in general. (Ironically, they’ve actually been a factor in pushing me towards subscribing. I find their chutzpah inspiring. 😀 And, I think, “If they can do her class, then so can I!”)
You would think after all this time of filming classes (what is it? over 2 years now?), the camerawork would be so much more adequate. Has that issue been raised on Cathe’s forums? It seems odd that, given Cathe’s OUTSTANDING production and camerwork on her DVDs, that she would not nip that in the bud. She must have reviewed, at least, SOME of the classes post-filming, no?
I’m not sure I’m familiar enough with her work/moves to be able to smoothly get over those bumps, but, well, for, what is it? $9.99/month for Live? it would certainly be worth the money (and well within the budget) to give it a shot for just ONE month.
As far as the premixes go or shortening a workout, in general, I just meant it’s silly in that, I’d rather do MOST of a workout I like, than not do any of it AT ALL if I can’t squeeze the full length one into my schedule or mentally handle a workout over an hour long. Though, some are easier to do that with than others, due to flow, chaptering and the actual moves. I DO have a weird mental block against that sort of thing, though. 😀
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I know a lot of people really like the “realness” of Cathe Live–it makes them feel better about their own less than stellar performance! And there is nothing wrong with that. I am no Cathe but I do strive to perform like she does–not like people with poor form who cannot complete a set. I do not mean to sound mean, but it’s true. The walls in that gym where it is filmed are mirrors–the point of those mirrors is to check form. Cathe checks her form during the workouts–you see her doing it sometimes. It is one of the reasons I like Shaun T’s Insanity workouts so much. They are incredibly intense and hard–so hard even he maxes out. But him and every one of his crew members have perfect form as long as they are doing an exercise. And when their form fails, they stop and recuperate–and if they don’t–Shaun makes them! IMHO it drives home the point–if you cannot do it right then maybe you should not be doing it. I’m not saying quit working out, but find a workout you can do rather than doing things you can only get through with poor form.
I think you should give it a month. I paid for an entire year and I have zero regret. It is worth every penny.
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Would it be possible for you to pull your workout card on this one and update the review? I want to do this one, but, as I was previewing it, I noticed, as you noted, that she doesn’t often tell us what weight she’s using! Like you, I don’t like going in to a workout blind (esp. hers since I’m still new to her). I’ve used all of your reviews and weight “recommendations” for ALL of the workouts of hers I’ve done, and they’ve been INCREDIBLY helpful. 😀 Invaluable, really.
PS Whatever happened to Nancy??
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No problem! I’ll pull out the workout cards tonight and see what I lifted. I think I have done that one within the past year. I did Butts & Guts recently and I was surprised at how light I lifted the last time I did it–but I have done that workout in 2 years or longer I think! I lifted much heavier now! And wow–that workout was brutal. But I will update Lower Body Blast tonight or tomorrow and reply again to let you know.
I had to look Nancy up on Cathe’s blog. I don’t really remember here. From the picture it looks like she was in STS Total Body–what other workouts has she appeared in? I am most familiar with Cedie and Jai–tho I recognize a lot of the other people.
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Oh, 2L, you are seven kinds of awesome! 😀 I was going to wait to do this WO until you updated the review, but, in a fit of “I do NOT want to work out to ANYTHING tonight” I said, “Sod it. I’m doing Lower Body Blast!” 🙂 And, as I checked my email before shutting my comp down, like a little angel from above, there you were with your “updated!” message. 😀 Talk about perfect timing! I followed your weights for the first few weighted exercises, then, once I got the feel of the workout and got used to her sets and reps for the WO, I went out on my own and picked almost the perfect weights for the rest of the moves and got a nice challenging workout! All thanks to you! 😀 So, I reiterate my initial sentiment — you’re 7 kinds of awesome. 😀 Thanks again, 2L!!
PS. I’m not familiar with Nancy, either! :p I only know that she won the casting call with Amanda years back, and, while Amanda is still with the crew, going strong, Nancy just seemed to have disappeared without a word after all the fuss and fanfare of winning! It was just odd, and I thought you might have known why she stopped appearing in Cathe’s workouts. (On the other hand, I have NO idea when Marlo joined the crew or how she was chosen — she had the casting call to pick Amanda [and Nancy] but Marlo just appeared, no? And Kate, as well. . .) And, I never thought I would miss Cedie so much if she ever left, but I do! She’s so flippin’ adorable and always so happy! Jai is a favorite of mine, though (with Amanda), and I’m so glad she’s still with Cathe/us after all these years. 😀
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I’m so glad it was timely! I am finding, by revisiting a lot of Cathe workouts I’ve had forever to prepare for the live versions, that she has some amazing workouts. I mean, I knew that, but I own so many that I do forget about some. And it is so hard to do them all. I need to return to this one now since it has been a year since I did it. But I just recently did Butts & Guts and OMG. I had forgotten the wonderful brutality of that workout! Every time I do these I think to myself–I have GOT to do this workout frequently. And then I don’t because I have 10,000 other workouts I have to get through. )o:
I like seeing the regulars in the workouts even if I can’t remember their names! I do miss Cedie!
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Ok–it’s updated!
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How would you think this one compares to Lean Legs & Abs?
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They are very different IMHO so it’s hard to compare. Lower Body Blast is longer, it contains plyo/cardio blasts (so contrast training), has floor work and a bonus barre routine. Whereas Lean Legs & Abs is much shorter and all standing weighted work. It is tough, lots of reps and will burn your legs out–but it is not nearly as well rounded of a lower body workout as Lower Body Blast. So it depends on what you are looking for! Lean Legs & Abs will do a great job in a short amount of time, but Lower Body Blast will hit every muscle hard and with different modalities.
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